VOCAL WORKSHOPS
2024
Alina Kuzma
Summoning Feminine Spring
Ukrainian Ritual Song & Dance
Saturday, march 16, 2024, 11:30–1:30 PM
Cre8ive NYC, Midtown, nyc
what we learned:
Vesnianky, also known as hayilky or hayivky, are traditional springtime songs deeply rooted in Ukrainian culture. The spring season is personified as a woman, "Vesnianochka Panianochka," and her arrival is summoned with ritual song and dance representing the rejuvenation of nature and the hope for a prosperous year ahead.
For hundreds of years, these songs and dances have been performed by women in villages during the spring equinox and throughout the Easter season. With themes of love, fertility, and the awakening of nature after the winter, vesnianky play a significant role in Ukrainian folk life, symbolizing the joy and optimism associated with the arrival of warmer weather and the renewal of life.
We participated hands-on in this tradition with Alina Kuzma, learning songs and dances passed down through generations.
About alina kuzma
American born singer and fourth-generation bandura player Alina Kytasty Kuzma is known for her strong soulful vocals, earthy ridniy holos (open folk voice), and versatility in multiple languages and genres. In her artistic creations, she explores liminal spaces and stories of the past in modern settings. From 2008 to 2023, Alina toured North America as lead singer of Korinya Folk Band, which released four studio albums in that time. In 2015, she co-founded the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America and plays in the ensemble. Alina has performed around the world, and is continuing her artistic journey in the vibrant musical community of Ontario.
Jurij Josyfovych
Vocal Polyphony from the Chernihiv Region
Sunday, may 12, 2024, 3:00–5:30 PM
Playwrights Downtown, NoHo, NYC
what we learned:
We were lucky to learn the traditional polyphony of Ukraine's Chernihiv oblast with acclaimed vocalist Jurij Josyfovych.
Chernihiv's vocal polyphony showcases a blend of traditional melodies, lyrical storytelling, and innovative vocal arrangements, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of sound that echoes the soul of the region. In its expressive and nuanced songs with a distinctive sound Jurij describes as “sweet and tart,” the vocal polyphony of Chernihiv preserves a cherished musical heritage that continues to enchant audiences around the world.
About Jurij Josyfovych
Jurij Josyfovych is a Ukrainian singer and scholar of traditional music. Graduating from Lviv's "Dudaryk" choir school, he has explored Ukrainian authentic singing under mentors like Natalia Polovinka and Serhiy Kovalevych. Jurij has contributed to music-theater projects and international collaborations, showcasing a blend of traditional and contemporary influences. His solo projects like "New Psalma. Maidan" and "HEART. NOVA AVTENTYKA" revitalize obscure Ukrainian songs using electronic elements for modern resonance. From 2019-2021, he sang with renowned Lviv musical group Kurbasy. Jurij's directorial debut in "DREVO | Love" celebrates the 60th anniversary of the famous ensemble "Drevo" in the village of Kriachkivka in Poltava.
Dr. Marika Kuzma
Ukrainian Village Carols & their Choral Arrangements
Sunday, November 17, 2024, 1:00-3:00 PM
Playwrights Downtown, NoHo, NYC
what we learned:
We got into the holiday spirit by learning about the origins and evolution of Ukrainian koliadky. This workshop dove into the rich tradition of these songs with a focus on the influential yet underappreciated composer Kyrylo Stetsenko. It highlighted his significant role alongside contemporaries Mykola Leontovych and Oleksandr Koshetz, emphasizing their combined efforts as composers, ethnographers, and political figures. Attendees learned about the origins and sources of koliada melodies, rooted in pre-Christian traditions, and learned several carols.
about Dr. Marika Kuzma
Marika Kuzma is an internationally recognized conductor and scholar in choral music. Her recently published book on Ukrainian Christmas/New Year’s carols—both an anthology and a cultural companion—is the first of its kind in English or Ukrainian. Currently, she is completing a recording as a complement to the book. In December, she will lead a concert of Handel's Messiah in North Carolina and a concert of Ukrainian Christmas music in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA.
Marika grew up in Hartford, CT in a close-knit Ukrainian diaspora community. Ukrainian songs and hymns were among the first music she sang with her family at home and in their Ukrainian Catholic church choir. Throughout her career—on concert stages, in recordings, and in the printed word—she has aimed to build bridges between cultures. As a conductor who has performed a wide array of international music, she is in a unique position to contextualize Ukrainian choral music within global choral repertoires. Marika now lives in Connecticut and engages in various creative work in music, film, and theater. Since the full-scale war began, she has led many concerts and poetry readings—at the New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas, the Berkeley Early Music Festival, among others—to raise funds and raise awareness of Ukrainian culture.